This invention relates to voice and data communications, and more particularly, to an improved technique of establishing a virtual presence over a communications channel between a first user and a second user.
The capacity for voice and data communications has increased dramatically over the last several years. The widespread use of the Internet, as well as the availability of greatly increased bandwidth on most communications media, has led to the ability to communicate large amounts of data from any source through any destination, extremely inexpensively.
Most communications links require an initial set up sequence during which a communications channel is established. For example, in a conventional telephone call, prior to communication taking place, a set-up sequence is required which consists of taking the telephone off hook, dialing a telephone number, making a connection, and taking the called telephone off hook. As is well-known, this takes more than an insignificant amount of time and the process of dialing(addressing) can be quite cumbersome at times.
In data communications, information is typically communicated via packets through packet switches. The packet switches usually establish a virtual circuit between the source and destination. A virtual circuit can be thought of as a system which appears to establish a circuit between two end points by routing packets with a common address to a common destination. There is however, no actual end to end circuit between the source and destination. Packet switched connections allow bandwidth to be utilized efficiently for a plurality of different purposes.
Even in connection with such data communications and virtual circuits, an initial set-up phase is also required. This set-up phase may be in the form of logging onto a computer and waiting for an acknowledgment, waiting for an address, or plugging in a destination computer ID or address into a log-on screen. As a common example, in order to log onto a web page on the Internet, one must enter a user webpage address representation. In order to send e-mail to an entity, one must type in a user""s e-mail address, or enter it by clicking an icon, and then send a message to that user.
In view of the busy schedule of many business personnel, including particularly executives, and the desirability of enabling more casual communications, it would be desirable if an entity could simply begin speaking to another entity and have the voice connection made automatically and immediately, without a cumbersome addressing process and attendant delays. In such a scenario, a xe2x80x9cvirtual presencexe2x80x9d is established because the calling party can simply begin speaking to the called party as if the called party were standing in the same room.
The above and other problems of the prior art are solved and a technical advance is achieved in accordance with the present invention which relates to a technique of establishing a virtual presence. A calling terminal includes a memory for storing incoming speech and a signal processor that processes that incoming speech in order to ascertain the identity and address of a party to be called.
When a calling party desires to establish audio communications with a second user, the calling party simply begins speaking, mentioning the called party""s name first. A digital signal processor is configured with speech recognition, and promptly recognizes the name of the party being called.
As soon as the party to be called is identified, a virtual circuit is automatically established and communication takes place. Moreover, the initial speech segment utilized to determine the called party (destination entity) is buffered for an amount of time sufficient to account for the delay caused by the signal processor in recognizing the destination entity from the incoming speech segment. The transmitted speech is delivered using pitch corrected speech control until the voice stream is caught up to the calling party. The automatic pitch corrected speech control is then eliminated, and normal speech transmission mode is utilized.
In other embodiments, the pitch corrected speech control may occur in a network server or elsewhere in the system, and the system may include different authorization levels which define particular users that may communicate via a virtual presence with other particular users.
In other embodiments, the buffer storage and/or signal processing and/or addressing may occur in a network element, thus minimizing the terminal cost and complexity. Additionally, if multiple parties may access the same calling terminal, then the DSP may also be used to identify the calling party. This information may be used as part ;of determining the address of a party to be called.